Community Reads to Harrington students

LYNN – It seemed only appropriate that state Treasurer Steven Grossman should read “Bunny Money” to Harrington School students when he took the spotlight as the key reader during the elementary school’s 10th anniversary Community Reads Day.”It was a little program that became a big program,” said Harrington School Librarian Carole Schutzer, who organizes the event.From former teachers to firefighters, from the Commissioner of Education Mitchell Chester, Attorney General Martha Coakley and Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy to Chomps, the North Shore Navigators mascot, dozens of volunteers turned out for the school’s annual event.Schutzer said she reaches out to everyone she can think of or who she’s met or sometimes even just heard of to come and read to the kids with two goals in mind: to encourage them to read and to inspire them to think bigger for themselves.”Kids are as much a part of our community as anyone else,” said Kennedy, who read two books to Nancy Doherty’s fourth grade class. “It’s important to get down to ground level with the kids.”In the gymnasium Grossman took the microphone from its stand and worked the crowd of kids like a talk show host. He even sang “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” with a little backup from a handful of teachers before he asked students what they learned from the book he read. They in turn asked him about being state treasurer.The students understood the story to be about spending money wisely and not spending on things you didn’t really need. He told the students that was pretty much what his job was about. Prior to reading to the kids Grossman said he would also like to create age appropriate financial literacy programs for all students.While Grossman addressed third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, Meghan Barry’s third-graders had a special reader of their own when Coakley stopped by to read Dr. Seuss’s “The Sneetches.” Coakley read the story and like Grossman tested their comprehension asking them questions about the story. The kids then quizzed her on what she likes to read, what she likes about her job and if it’s hard to be the attorney general.”Sometimes it is,” she admitted.Barry said the kids were excited about Coakley’s visit and did their homework researching what she does.”They felt very honored that she was coming to Lynn for them,” Barry said.Reps. Robert Fennell and Steven Walsh of Lynn and Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead also attended the event along with Sen. Thomas McGee.”I have four kids under the age of four, I read a lot of books,” said Walsh. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar is this week’s favorite because they’re doing the life cycle of a butterfly in preschool.”Steve Hamilton of WestEd, an education nonprofit that works with the local schools, came armed with a ukulele. He said it was more prop for the book he read, “Abiyoyo.””The kids all wanted me to play,” he said, adding that it wasn’t in tune. “I think next year, though, I will have to plan on playing it.”Schutzer said there is no doubt she will be calling back volunteers to read for the 11th annual Community Reads Day next May and she had nothing but praise for the ones who have been coming back year after year.”They are willing to spend their valuable time with our students and that means the world to me,” she said. “This (event) is a lot of work but it takes on a life of its own. And the school, the staff and the principal all support it. I couldn’t do this alone and I don’t do it alone.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].